Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and Ultrasound Guidance

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Scan

The use of an ultrasound scan in sports medicine has grown over the past decade as ultrasound technology has advanced. Ultrasound can be used to evaluate numerous acute and chronic orthopedic injuries (partial list below). It is a painless, non-radiation imaging modality that provides instant images in the clinic or on the field. Ultrasound provides better detail of superficial structures than MRI; however, it is limited in the depth it can view. MRI is still the modality of choice for viewing structures inside a joint (i.e. ACL tear in the knee). Ultrasound allows for dynamic imaging as well (watching a joint or muscle move).

Injuries that can be evaluated with Ultrasound:

Rotator cuff tears

Tennis and Golfer’s elbow

Jumper’s knee

Quadriceps and Patellar Tendon ruptures

Achilles tendon injuries

Plantar Fasciitis

Muscle strains

Ligament sprains (Knee MCL sprain)

Tendonitis

Bursitis

Ultrasound is also used to guide injections and other procedures. Ultrasound guidance greatly improves accuracy of the procedure, decreases the amount of pain associated with the procedure, and provides the best chances of a positive outcome for the patient.